Friday, October 30, 2015

Montreal Euthanasia Symposium: Theory and Reality about Euthanasia

Media Release - October 30, 2015

The Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia,
the Living with Dignity network and
the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) are
coming together for a one
day conference on Saturday
October 31, 2015 at the Best Western Ville Marie hotel in Montréal, to discuss our common
concerns and directions.

The Quebec
euthanasia experiment is scheduled to begin on December 10. The vast majorityof physicians around the world have always rejected euthanasia, above all
because it is a public safety hazard: it can drive people to throw away years
of their lives and provide caregivers and heirs with enormous power. Although
it gives an illusion of control, the option of euthanasia will undoubtedly erode
medical diligence and creativity in the medical care of people both chronically
disabled and acutely disabled by illness.

Most patients
fear suffering at the end of life. This has always been the case. But we must
find a less dangerous option than the constant availability of “death on demand”
to address these fears. In extreme cases, i.e. for the small minority of
patients for whom other options are not completely effective, palliative
sedation can answer all symptom control problems.

From a
logistical point of view patients do not need help from their treating physician
to access euthanasia: the government could easily set up a system of self-referral
to voluntarily licensed doctors who are willing to practice euthanasia. This
would avoid trampling on the professional judgment and conscience of the rest
of the medical profession.

We
reject the concept that euthanasia is any kind of health care. We reject
bullying physicians into referring their patients for death. And we reject the concept
that intentional death is a solution to human distress.